Under siege in Washington, Trump reaps Saudi arms deal, stronger ties

Sat May 20, 2017 | 7:24 PM EDT 7h ago | 00:43 Trump signs $110 billion Saudi arms deal Under siege in Washington, Trump reaps Saudi arms... X Sat May 20, 2017 | 2:35 PM EDT U.S., Saudi firms sign tens of billions of dollars of deals as Trump visits ‹ 5/5 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (L, in brown) and U.S. President Donald Trump (C) arrive for their bilateral meeting at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 1/5 Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih speaks to media at the Saudi-US CEO Forum 2017 ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President Donald Trump, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed 2/5 Vice Chairman of General Electric, John Rice and Saudi Governor of Small & Medium Enterprises, Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman pose for photos after signing their agreements at the Saudi-US CEO Forum 2017 ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President Donald Trump, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed 3/5 Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih arrives to attend the Saudi-US CEO Forum 2017, ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President Donald Trump, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed 4/5 Amin H. Nasser, president and chief executive officer of Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), speaks at the China Development Forum in Beijing, China, March 19, 2017. Reuters/Shu Zhang 5/5 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (L, in brown) and U.S. President Donald Trump (C) arrive for their bilateral meeting at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 1/5 Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih speaks to media at the Saudi-US CEO Forum 2017 ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President Donald Trump, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed › U.S., Saudi firms sign tens of billions of dollars... X By Reem Shamseddine and Katie Paul | RIYADH U.S. and Saudi Arabian companies signed business deals worth tens of billions of dollars on Saturday during a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, as Riyadh seeks help to develop its economy beyond oil. National oil firm Saudi Aramco said it signed $50 billion of agreements with U.S. firms. Energy minister Khalid al-Falih said deals involving all companies totaled over $200 billion, many of them designed to produce things in Saudi Arabia that had previously been imported. Business leaders on both sides were keen to demonstrate their talks had been a success, so there was an element of showmanship in the huge numbers. Some deals had been announced previously; others were memorandums of understanding that would require further negotiations to materialize. Nevertheless, the deals illustrated Saudi Arabia's hunger for foreign capital and technology as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil exports. Low oil prices in the past couple of years have slowed the economy to a crawl and saddled the government with a big budget deficit. "We want foreign companies to look at Saudi Arabia as a platform for exports to other markets," Falih told a conference attended by dozens of U.S. executives. In March, Saudi Arabia's King Salman toured Asia and his delegation signed similar agreements worth tens of billions of dollars there, including deals worth as much as $65 billion in China. FUNDS Even as it sought U.S. investment on Saturday, Riyadh made two announcements on plans to deploy its own financial reserves for projects that would cement economic ties with the United States. The Public Investment Fund, Riyadh's main sovereign wealth fund, and U.S. private equity firm Blackstone said they were studying a proposal to create a $40 billion vehicle to invest in infrastructure projects, mainly in the United States. The vehicle would obtain $20 billion from the PIF and with additional debt financing, might invest in over $100 billion of infrastructure projects - a political boon to Trump, who has said he wants to rebuild crumbling U.S. infrastructure. Meanwhile the world's largest private equity fund, backed by the PIF, Japan's Softbank Group and other investors including U.S. firms Apple Inc and Qualcomm, said on Saturday it had raised over $93 billion to invest in technology sectors such as artificial intelligence and robotics. Much of the Softbank Vision Fund's money is likely to be invested in the United States, helping Riyadh obtain access to technology that it could use to diversify its economy. Top Saudi economic policy makers, including the finance minister and head of the kingdom's main sovereign wealth fund, described investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia to the conference on Saturday. Related Coverage FACT BOX Deals signed by U.S. companies in Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco: looking for opportunities to expand in U.S. over 10 years Saudi officials said they aimed to prepare new, streamlined rules covering direct investment by foreign firms within 12 months. Among the deals signed on Saturday, GE said it reached $15 billion of agreements involving almost $7 billion of goods and services from GE itself. They ranged from the power and healthcare sectors to the oil and gas industry and mining. Jacobs Engineering will form a joint venture with Aramco to manage business projects in the kingdom, and McDermott International will transfer some of its ship fabrication facilities from Dubai to a new shipbuilding complex which Aramco will build within Saudi Arabia. Riyadh, one of the world's biggest military spenders, is keen to develop a domestic arms industry rather than import weapons, so several deals were in military industries. Lockheed Martin said it would support the final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters in Saudi Arabia. (Additional reporting by Marwa Rashad and Celine Aswad; Writing by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Andrew Roche and Chizu Nomiyama) ============================================================= By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland | RIYADH Under political fire at home, U.S. President Donald Trump sealed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia on Saturday on his maiden foreign trip as he struggled to shift attention from the aftermath of his firing of the director of the FBI. The arms deal, plus other investments that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said could total up to $350 billion, was the central achievement of Trump's first day in Riyadh, first stop on a nine-day journey through the Middle East and Europe. Speaking to journalists after a ceremony to exchange agreements, Trump said it was a "tremendous day" and spoke of "hundreds of billions of dollars of investments into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs. So I would like to thank all of the people of Saudi Arabia." King Salman gave Trump a remarkably warm greeting, meeting him at the steps of Air Force One on arrival, shaking the hand of Trump's wife, Melania, riding with Trump in his limousine and spending most of the day with him. But the political turmoil back in Washington consumed the headlines in the United States and cast a long shadow over the start of Trump's trip, which will include stops in Israel, the Vatican, Italy and Belgium. His firing of Federal Bureau of Investigation head James Comey on May 9 and the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign ties to Russia have raised the question of whether he tried to squelch [make a soft sucking sound such as that made by treading heavily through mud.] a probe into allegations of a Russian connection. Fanning the flames was a New York Times report that Trump had called Comey a "nut job" in a private meeting last week in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and ambassador Sergei Kislyak. The Times quoted briefing notes of the conversation. Amid a mood of frustration, officials on board Trump's Riyadh-bound presidential plane scrambled to coordinate on responding to the story with staff in Washington and those who had just landed in the Saudi capital. Asked for a response, the White House said that for national security reasons, "we do not confirm or deny the authenticity of allegedly leaked classified documents." Russia's Interfax news agency on Saturday quoted Lavrov as saying he had not discussed Comey with Trump. "We did not touch this issue at all," the minister said. In another development, the Washington Post said a White House official close to Trump was a significant "person of interest" in the investigation into possible ties with Russia. ADVERTISEMENT Tillerson, asked about the story, said he did not know who the "person of interest" was. Against that backdrop, Trump soldiered through a long day of diplomacy. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir called the results of Trump's meetings with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz "the beginning of a turning point" between the United States, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies. Both he and Tillerson made clear the arms deal was aimed at countering Iran on a day that Hassan Rouhani was re-elected as Iran's president. Tillerson said Rouhani should use his second term to end Iran's ballistic missile testing and stop promoting extremism in a volatile region. He said he had no plans to talk to his Iranian counterpart but that he in all likelihood he would do so "at the right time." ‹ 27/27 White House senior advisor Jared Kushner (C) and his wife Ivanka Trump walk on the tarmac after arriving with U.S. President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 1/27 U.S. President Donald Trump dances with a sword as he arrives to a welcome ceremony by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at Al Murabba Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 2/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017.Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 3/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) presents U.S. President Donald Trump with the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 4/27 U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by White House senior advisor Jared Kushner (2nd R) and chief economic advisor Gary Cohn (R), delivers remarks to reporters after meeting with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman (L) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 5/27 U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrive for a signing ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 6/27 U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (C) attends a signing ceremony between U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (not pictured) at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 7/27 White House senior advisor Steve Bannon (C) speaks with a Saudi counterpart after a signing ceremony with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and U.S. President Donald Trump at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 8/27 After a signing ceremony with a raft of agreements between U.S. companies and the Saudi government, U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd R) looks over at the lineup of U.S. business chiefs on hand as he exits with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 9/27 Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO Marillyn Hewson (L) exchanges agreements with a Saudi official after a signing ceremony between Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and U.S. President Donald Trump at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 10/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud presents U.S. President Donald Trump with the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal as first lady Melania Trump watches, at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters 11/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (L), Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef , and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump walk during a reception ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters 12/27 U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) and his delegation, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (3rd L), sit down to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Saudi delegation at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 13/27 Vice Chairman of General Electric, John Rice (C) speaks to media at the Saudi-US CEO Forum 2017 ahead of the arrival of the U.S. President Donald Trump, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed 14/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 15/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) and U.S. President Donald Trump (L) react to applause after signing a joint security agreement at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 16/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud stands next to U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 17/27 U.S. President Donald Trump has coffee during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017.Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 18/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 19/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 20/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 21/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump as they arrive aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 22/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives on the tarmac to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump as he arrives aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 23/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and U.S. President Donald Trump walk during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017.Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 24/27 U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 25/27 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and U.S. President Donald Trump sit in a car during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters 26/27 U.S. President Donald Trump arrives during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 27/27 White House senior advisor Jared Kushner (C) and his wife Ivanka Trump walk on the tarmac after arriving with U.S. President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst 1/27 U.S. President Donald Trump dances with a sword as he arrives to a welcome ceremony by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at Al Murabba Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst › Al-Jubeir said Trump and King Salman agreed that action had to be taken to ensure Iran did not continue "aggressive policies in the region." Trump's trip has been billed by the White House as a chance to visit places sacred to three of the world's major religions, while giving him time to meet with Arab, Israeli and European leaders. CONTRAST WITH OBAMA VISIT King Salman gave a more favorable welcome to Trump than he had granted last year to Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, who was seen in the Arab kingdom as soft on Iran and hesitant on Syria. Trump and King Salman seemed at ease with each other, chatting through an interpreter. At the royal al-Yamama palace, the king draped around Trump's neck the King Abdulaziz medal, the country's top civilian honor. At the end of the day, Tillerson and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, holding swords, were seen participating in a ceremonial dance at Marraba Palace with a Saudi group. Related Coverage VIDEOTrump, Tillerson, Ross dance with swords in Saudi Arabia VIDEOTillerson unaware of White House 'person of interest' in Russia probe Saudi King presents Trump with top civilian honor Traveling abroad, Trump struggles to escape crisis Saudi to open militant-monitoring center during Trump visit As Trump arrived for dinner with the king, a spectacle awaited him: Men dressed in long white turbans and carrying swords swayed and chanted in unison to beating drums in a courtyard. Trump, clearly enjoying himself, smiled and swayed, even seeming to dance a little at the center of the group. SYRIAN CIVIL WAR During their conversation earlier in the day, the king was overheard lamenting the Syrian war. Trump ordered air strikes against a Syrian airfield in April in response to a chemical weapons attack by government forces against civilians. "Syria too used to be one of the most advanced countries. We used to get our professors from Syria. They served our kingdom. Unfortunately, they too brought destruction to their own country. You can destroy a country in mere seconds, but it takes a lot of effort," he said. Trump's response could not be heard. The arms package includes a pledge by the kingdom to assemble 150 Lockheed Martin Blackhawk helicopters in Saudi Arabia, in a $6 billion deal expected to result in about 450 jobs in the kingdom. National oil giant Saudi Aramco was also expected to sign $50 billion of deals with U.S. companies on Saturday, part of a drive to diversify the kingdom's economy beyond oil exports, Aramco's chief executive Amin Nasser said. U.S. technology and engineering conglomerate GE said it had signed $15 billion of agreements with Saudi organizations. Trump is to deliver a speech in Riyadh on Sunday aimed at rallying Muslims in the fight against Islamist militants. He will also attend a summit of Gulf leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council. Shortly after taking office, Trump sought to block people from several Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States, but the travel ban has been blocked by federal courts. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; editing by Sami Aboudi, Andrew Roche and Grant McCool) ============================================================================================ Sat May 20, 2017 | 7:00 AM EDT Under fire at home, Trump in Saudi on first foreign trip 2h ago | 01:16 President Trump welcomed at Riyadh airport reception Under fire at home, Trump in Saudi on first foreig. By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland | RIYADH Dogged by controversy at home, Donald Trump opened his first foreign trip as president in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, looking to shift attention from a political firestorm over his firing of former FBI Director James Comey. With delicate diplomatic meetings facing him, including three summits, Trump faces the challenge of advancing his "America First" agenda without alienating key allies. Stepping off Air Force One in sweltering heat with his wife, Melania, Trump and his entourage received a red-carpet welcome from Saudi King Salman. The trip has been billed by the White House as a chance to visit places sacred to three of the world's major religions while giving Trump time to meet with Arab, Israeli and European leaders. But uproar in Washington threatened to cast a long shadow over the trip. His firing of Comey and the appointment of a special counsel to investigate his campaign's ties to Russia last year have triggered a stream of bad headlines. The New York Times reported Trump had called Comey a "nut job" in a private meeting last week in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak. The White House did not deny the report, but said "the real story is that our national security has been undermined by the leaking of private and highly classified conversations." In another development, the Washington Post said a current White House official close to Trump was a significant "person of interest" in the investigation into possible ties between Trump's presidential campaign last year and Russia. Trump and King Salman seemed at ease with each other, chatting through an interpreter. Walking with a cane, the king greeted Trump on the tarmac. A military brass band played, cannons boomed and seven Saudi jets flew over in V-formation, trailing red, white and blue smoke. The two leaders sat side by side in the VIP section of the airport terminal and drank coffee served in the traditional Arab style. ADVERTISEMENT "Do you spend a lot of time in New York?" Trump was overheard asking the king. On the drive to the Ritz hotel where Trump is staying, King Salman rode with the president in the heavily armored presidential limousine nicknamed "the Beast". Along the motorcade route were billboards with large pictures of Trump and King Salman, with the slogan: "Together we prevail." Trump’s decision to make his first official trip abroad to Saudi Arabia, followed by Israel, countries which both share his antagonism towards Iran, marks a contrast with his predecessor Barack Obama’s approach. Trump’s criticism of the nuclear deal Iran reached with the U.S. and five other world powers in 2015 pleases both Saudi Arabia and Israel, who accused Obama on “going soft” on Tehran. Poll results showed on Saturday that Iranians had emphatically re-elected President Hassan Rouhani, architect of Iran's still-fragile detente with the West. ARMS DEAL After a royal banquet, Trump and the king were to have private talks and participate in a signing ceremony for a number of U.S.-Saudi agreements, including a $100 billion deal for Saudi Arabia to buy American arms. National oil giant Saudi Aramco expected to sign $50 billion of deals with U.S. companies on Saturday, part of a drive to diversify the kingdom's economy beyond oil exports, Aramco's chief executive Amin Nasser said. Trump is to deliver a speech in Riyadh on Sunday aimed at rallying Muslims in the fight against Islamist militants. He will also attend a summit of Gulf leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. A senior Saudi official said a digital center to monitor the activities of Islamic State and other militant groups online would be opened on Sunday, to coincide with the visit. Related Coverage VIDEOPresident Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia VIDEOSaudi Arabia media look ahead to Donald Trump visit Saudi King: Trump visit enhances global security, stability Saudi to open militant-monitoring center during Trump visit Ahead of Trump's trip, the White House said the president expected tangible results from Saudi Arabia in countering Islamic extremism. Shortly after taking office, Trump sought to block people from several Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States, but the travel ban has been blocked by federal courts. The 70-year-old president's trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy and Belgium will be Trump's longest time away from the White House since he took office four months ago. Even his hand gestures may draw scrutiny in the Middle East, where the thumbs-up sign, a Trump trademark, is considered taboo. The uproar over Comey's firing looked unlikely to go away. Trump, who has expressed a desire for friendlier relations with Moscow, drew a storm of criticism this week when it emerged that he had shared sensitive national security information with Russia's foreign minister during a meeting last week in the White House. The president was already under attack for firing Comey in the midst of an FBI probe into Russia's role in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump campaign members. Moscow has denied any such interference. Trump has denied collusion and denounced the appointment of a special counsel as a witch hunt. His fellow Republicans in Congress have expressed frustration that Trump's pro-business economic agenda, featuring a plan to cut corporate and individual taxes, has been pushed to the backburner by the turmoil. (Editing by Andrew Roche) ================= Sun May 21, 2017 | 6:07 AM EDT Iran's Zarif urges Trump to discuss avoiding another 9/11 with Saudis Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks to the media in Tbilisi, Georgia, April 18, 2017. Reuters/David Mdzinarishvili Iran's Zarif urges Trump to discuss avoiding anoth... X Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, advised U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss how to avoid another September 11 attack with the Saudi hosts of his first official visit abroad, Zarif wrote in an editorial published on Sunday. Tehran and Riyadh are regional arch-rivals who accuse each other of sponsoring fundamentalist militias aligned to their competing sects of Islam in warzones across the Middle East. Critics of Saudi Arabia say its strict view of Islam fuels Sunni extremism, called takfir, and some even accuse the kingdom of responsibility for the September 11 attacks. ADVERTISEMENT Saudi Arabia denies providing any support for the 19 hijackers - most of whom were Saudi citizens - who killed nearly 3,000 people in 2001. "(Trump) must enter into dialogue with them about ways to prevent terrorists and takfiris from continuing to fuel the fire in the region and repeating the likes of the September 11 incident by their sponsors in Western countries," Zarif wrote for the website of the London-based Al Araby Al-Jadeed news network. At a campaign event last February, Trump himself suggested to supporters that the kingdom may be behind the attacks. Also In Middle East & North Africa Israeli minister expresses concern over U.S.-Saudi arms deal At least 20 Afghan police killed in Taliban ambushes: officials "You will find out who really knocked down the World Trade Center because they have papers out there that are very secret. You may find it's the Saudis, okay, but you will find out." But since his election, Trump has put an end to his sharp commentary in public and on his twitter account about the key U.S. ally and the world's top oil exporter. On the second day of his visit to Riyadh, the president is set to deliver an appeal to leaders from across the Arab and Muslim world to unite against the common threat posed by Islamist militants. (Reporting by Noah Browning; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

Obama vetoes Sept. 11 Saudi bill, sets up showdown with Congress

Fri Sep 23, 2016 | 6:44 PM EDT Obama vetoes Sept. 11 Saudi bill, sets up showdown with Congress U.S. President Barack Obama walks to the the Oval Office of the White House upon his return to Washington from New York, U.S. September 21, 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas U.S. President Barack Obama walks to the the Oval Office of the White House upon his return to Washington from New York, U.S. September 21, 2016. Reuters/Yuri Gripas Patricia Zengerle and Roberta Rampton | WASHINGTON President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed legislation allowing families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, which could prompt Congress to overturn his decision with a rare veto override, the first of his presidency. Obama said the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act would hurt U.S. national security and harm important alliances, while shifting crucial terrorism-related issues from policy officials into the hands of the courts. The bill passed the Senate and House of Representatives in reaction to long-running suspicions, denied by Saudi Arabia, that hijackers of the four U.S. jetliners that attacked the United States in 2001 were backed by the Saudi government. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Obama said other countries could use the law, known as JASTA, as an excuse to sue U.S. diplomats, members of the military or companies - even for actions of foreign organizations that had received U.S. aid, equipment or training.

"Removing sovereign immunity in U.S. courts from foreign governments that are not designated as state sponsors of terrorism, based solely on allegations that such foreign governments' actions abroad had a connection to terrorism-related injuries on U.S. soil, threatens to undermine these longstanding principles that protect the United States, our forces, and our personnel," Obama said in a statement.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who co-wrote the legislation and has championed it, immediately made clear how difficult it will be for Obama to sustain the veto. Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, issued a statement within moments of receiving the veto, promising that it would be “swiftly and soundly overturned.” He represents New York, home of most of the Sept. 11 victims. Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for president, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, said they would have signed the bill into law if they were in the White House. SOME DOUBTS If two-thirds of the lawmakers in both the Senate and House vote to override, the law would stand, the first such override since he became president in 2009, and possibly the last. Obama leaves office in January. Friday's veto was the twelfth of his presidency. An override has been expected, despite some lawmakers saying they had doubts about the measure. In a letter seen by Reuters on Friday, Republican Representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, said he would oppose the override. "My primary concern is that this bill increases the risk posed to American military and intelligence personnel, diplomats and others serving our country around the world," Thornberry wrote in a letter encouraging his fellow Republicans to sustain the veto.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday he thought there were enough votes to override a veto, but had concerns. "I worry about trial lawyers trying to get rich off of this. And I do worry about the precedent," he told reporters.

The "9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism" group, which has pressed Congress to uphold the legislation, called Obama's veto explanation "unconvincing and unsupportable." The Saudi government has lobbied heavily to stop the bill, the European Union has formally opposed it and Gulf States have condemned it. Major U.S. corporations such as General Electric and Dow Chemical have also pressed lawmakers to reconsider. "The bill is not balanced, sets a dangerous precedent, and has real potential to destabilize vital bilateral relationships and the global economy," GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who supports the bill. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Grant McCool) ==================== Thu Sep 29, 2016 | 7:04 PM EDT U.S. lawmakers may change September 11 law after rejecting veto 1h ago | 01:35 Aftermath of 9/11, Congress allows lawsuits against Saudi Arabia. U.S. lawmakers may change September 11 law after...X The US Senate 'Unanimous' vote will Bankrupt Saudi Arabia, limit the influence of Backward Wahabbis and cut the Jugular of Barbaric ISIS. View location · Reply Retweet Like Adnan Darwash Adnan Darwash @AdnanDarwash 14h Stabbing Obama in the Back and His Saudi Allies in the Pockets: VeteransToday.com: veteranstoday.com/2016/09/28/us-… View details · Reply Retweet Like Adnan Darwash Adnan Darwash @AdnanDarwash 14h While Obama and Queen of England Are Saddened by Peres Death, Hamas calls for 'Day of Rage' during Peres funeral presstv.com//Detail/2016/0… View details · Reply Retweet Like Adnan Darwash Adnan Darwash @AdnanDarwash 15h Rubbing Salt in Obama's Legacy Wounds: '9/11 bill vote, embarrassment for Obama' presstv.com//Detail/2016/0… View details · Reply Retweet Like By Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan | WASHINGTON U.S. lawmakers expressed doubts on Thursday about Sept. 11 legislation they forced on President Barack Obama, saying the new law allowing lawsuits against Saudi Arabia could be narrowed to ease concerns about its effect on Americans abroad. A day after a rare overwhelming rejection of a presidential veto, the first during Obama's eight years in the White House, the Republican leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives opened the door to fixing the law as they blamed the Democratic president for not consulting them adequately. "I do think it is worth further discussing," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters, acknowledging that there could be "potential consequences" of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, known as JASTA. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Congress might have to "fix" the legislation to protect U.S. troops in particular. Ryan did not give a time frame, but Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he thought JASTA could be addressed in Congress' "lame-duck" session after the Nov. 8 election. The law grants an exception to the legal principle of sovereign immunity in cases of terrorism on U.S. soil, clearing the way for lawsuits seeking damages from the Saudi government. Riyadh denies longstanding suspicions that it backed the hijackers who attacked the United States in 2001. Sept. 11 families lobbied intensely for the bill, getting it passed by the House days before the 15th anniversary of the 2001 attacks earlier this month after years of effort. "We have to understand the political environment we’re in right now and the tremendous support the 9/11 victims have in the United States," said Robert Jordan, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is one of Washington's longest-standing and most important allies in the Middle East and part of a U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. SAUDI CONDEMNATION The Saudis lobbied furiously against JASTA, and the Saudi foreign ministry condemned its passage in a statement on Thursday. "The erosion of sovereign immunity will have a negative impact on all nations, including the United States," said the statement, which was carried on state news agency SPA. Still, the new law is not expected to have a lasting effect on the two countries' strategic relationship. Saudi-U.S. ties have endured "multiple times of deep outrage" over 70 years, said Thomas Lippman of the Middle East Institute. "The two countries need each other as much today as they did before the day before yesterday," he said. White House spokesman Josh Earnest mocked lawmakers for shifting "within minutes" from overwhelmingly voting to override Obama's veto to wanting to change the law. "I think what we've seen in the United States Congress is a pretty classic case of rapid onset buyer's remorse," Earnest told a White House briefing. Corker said he had tried to work out a compromise with the White House, but Obama administration officials declined a meeting. Related Coverage Saudi foreign ministry condemns passage of U.S. September 11 law Passage of September 11 lawsuit bill an 'abject embarrassment': White House Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, who championed JASTA in the Senate, said he was open to revisiting the legislation. "I'm willing to look at any proposal they make but not any that hurt the families," he said at a news conference. He said he would oppose a suggestion that the measure be narrowed to only apply to the 2001 attacks on Washington and New York. "You know what that does? It tells the Saudis to go ahead and do it again, and we won't punish you," Schumer said. Corker said another suggestion was establishing an international tribunal so experts could determine whether there was culpability. He said the Saudis were been willing to work on a compromise, and denied they had threatened retaliation. Trent Lott, a former Republican Senate Majority Leader now at a Washington law firm lobbying for the Saudis, said attorneys would look carefully at JASTA's language. "I do feel passionately this is a mistake for a variety of reasons, in terms of threats to troops, diplomats, sovereignty, there's serious problems here. Hopefully we can find a way to change the tenor of this," Lott said. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton, Susan Cornwell, David Morgan, Yara Bayoumy, David Alexander and Susan Heavey; editing by Grant McCool and Tom Brown)